It's Monday, which means everyone (including myself) is probably feeling a little flat.
Last week was a bit of a crazy one for me, so apologies for the lack of posts. Down Under, we celebrated Australia Day, which is generally a time to drink...a lot, cook a huge BBQ and play some beach cricket at your local stretch of coastline. It sounds too stereotypical to be true, but it's closer to reality than some of us Aussie's care to admit.
For me, the Australia Day long weekend was the perfect opportunity for my girlfriend Eleni and I to jump on a plane and visit one of our besties, Dani, all the way in Perth. The weekend was fantastic, and provided us with just enough time to catch up on love, life, career and all the things in between. Perth is absolutely stunning, especially the coastal town of Fremantle, so for any international visitors looking to travel around Australia, I strongly encourage you to make it a must see destination.
A week later and I'm back to reality. Having finally caught up on my emails, I discovered this little gem that I just had to share.
A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about my excitement at an upcoming Justin Timberlake album.
A few days ago, I heard the song for the first time on radio and now, for all of you who haven't yet listened to Suit and Tie by JT featuring Jay Z...here it is...
And a few words from JT himself...
...back in June of last year, I quietly started working on what's now, my next journey with that thing I love called music...I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed making it.
My belief is that songs generally grow on us over time, especially when it's a new sound or a new artist (just look at how Psy's Gangam Style took over the world last year. Enough said). But to me, what makes a good song great, is how much you like it that very first time you hear it. One verse into Suite and Tie and I was already dancing in my seat as I drove home that night. I secretly shudder to think what I must have looked like to the other drivers parked beside me at the traffic lights, but to be honest, I don't really care.
So all that's left to say is that I hope this first single is an indication of the type of music and collaborations present throughout the pending album, because if that's the case, then I think JT has some awards coming his way.
In brief, here are my thoughts on the red carpet looks and the celebs we love and love to hate...
MY TOP 5: Kate Hudson- Why? So simple. So sexy and the perfect amount of shimma-shimma.
Jessica Alba- Why? Because everything about this look was stunning. The colour looks fabulous on her, the hair is glamorous and the diamonds sits perfectly against the sweetheart neckline.
Naomi Watts- Why? This look is complete, from head to toe. The colour is beautiful on her porcelain skin, her hair is chic and the earrings are just right. Stunning.
Lea Michelle- Why? As much as it pains me to say this because I usually can't stand her, I love this dress! It's perfect for a petite frame and paired with a sunkissed tan, its divine.
Jennifer Lawrence- Why? This dress is classic while still remaining fun enough for a young Hollywood starlet. Red dresses on a red carpet can often be tricky, but there was no competition with this Dior Haute Couture gown.
IF I WERE A SUPERMODEL:
I would wear Miranda Kerr's insanely sexy dress. How anyone can be this beautiful is beyond me.
IF I WERE OVER 40:
I would give my left arm to wear a figure-hugging number like Jennifer Lopez. And rock it.
IF I WERE TRYING TO DRESS LIKE A GOLDEN GLOBE STATUE:
I would want the Michael Kors cut out dress worn by Emily Blunt. Its hard to pull of something that's so extravagant, but this is a winner for me.
IF I WANTED TO GO UNNOTICED, I WOULD:
Wear a bland, boring, blah colour that matches my complexion...
Cue Amanda Seyfried, Amy Adams, Megan Fox and Anne Hathaway. Fail.
BOTTOM 5: Lena Dunham- Why? I disliked Girls, but disliked this dress on her even more! What was she thinking? Terrible cut, old lady colour and so dated for someone her age. Plus, she was clearly wearing shoes she felt uncomfortable walking in because it was painful seeing her make her way to the stage to collect her award. And not cute awkward, embarrassing awkward.
Sofia Vergara- Why? Because the woman has the perfect body, literally, and insists on sticking to the same dam dress every red carpet appearance. I never thought I'd see the day I was over a mermaid cut with a sweetheart neckline.
Lucy Lui- Why? Because it looked like something Maria made from Captain Von Trapp's curtains!
Sienna Miller- Why? This dress somehow makes Sienna's natural beauty disappear. The cut is boxy and the print is boring. Plus, her hair is boring and too slicked to her face.
Jessica Chastain- Why? It's not so much the colour of this dress, in fact I quite like the turquoise against her red hair and pale skin, but the hair....OMG the hair. Terrible. Plus, this dress drapes in all the wrong places, making Jessica's cleavage look like that of a 90 year old.
ON A SIDE NOTE:
The Golden Globes can't be discussed without mentioning the genius comic relief on display at this year's awards. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler absolutely killed it, although I was craving more airtime from the funny ladies. They could have kept me entertained all night. Brilliant.
Speaking of brilliant, if there is one clip I recommend you see from this years GG, it has to be Kristen Wigg and Will Ferrell's introduction for the Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture.
I saw this photo and I thought to myself "dam, they're going to have one good looking baby!" I mean, how could they not? It's Shakira (her hips don't lie) teaming up with a guy who's name is kind of irrelevant when he can whip out that intense, sultry stare whenever he wants.
But, the exterior beauty of this couple is not the point of my post. Rather, it's their inner beauty and the good example they're displaying to the rest of the uber rich and famous.
In lieu of registering for baby gifts, the couple have decided to request donations to UNICEF on behalf of their unborn son.
“To celebrate the arrival of our first child, we hope that, in his name, other less privileged children in the world can have their basic needs covered through gifts and donations.”
Donations will go towards helping other children around the world, with basic necessities such as food, water and shelter. Bless.
Today I discovered the very exciting news that Mr Justin Timberlake is currently working on a new album!
When I saw this cleaver yet teasing promotional video circulating around the Internet, I couldn't help but share. If I can't wait, than there's bound to be other people that can't either.
Listen to Timberlake explain why it's taken him so long to get back into the studio and get prepared for one of 2013's most anticipated and successful albums!
When Barbara Walters' 10 Most Fascinating People for 2012 list aired in December, I couldn't wait to sit down and watch the interviews to discover why they had impressed the renowned journalist so much. I have to admit, at times I find Walters quite irritating- especially whenever she's on The View panel, but a career as illustrious and successful as hers is not achieved by luck.
In the number one spot this year was Gen. David Petraeus. Walters states:
"David Petraeus was not chosen this year for his war record or his exemplary service to his country. This is about military honor, colliding with sex and lies in the digital age."
Petraeus resigned as head of the CIA, citing an extramarital affair, one week after the November election. The press learned that Petraeus was having an affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell. The story continued to unfold, becoming more and more complex as new characters were introduced and additional lies uncovered.
"The story was irresistible," Walters said. "The keeper of the nation's secrets unable to conceal his own." She later added, "Still it was hard to understand how a man like [Petraeus] could fall so far from grace ... The contradictions in his character and his career are a reminder that no one, however powerful, is free of human frailty or immune to reversals of fortune. And that for us makes David Petraeus the most fascinating person of 2012."
With tragic events at the end of 2012, including Hurricane Sandy and the Sandy Hook massacre in the United States, we sometimes need reminding that there is plenty of good in the world too.
I recently discovered a compilation of 26 Moments That Restored Our Faith In Humanity This Year, put together by www.buzzfeed.com. I first saw these images at work, and consequently had a very public sob-fest while going through the list. Naturally, things that make you feel this good need to be shared, so here are a few of my favourite images to get you started...
[ The parents who made their son's wheelchair into the best Halloween costume ever ]
[ The people who helped out any way they could after Hurricane Sandy ]
[ The older couple who saw themselves in two young parents ]
[ The police officer who bought shoes for a barefoot homeless man ]
Let's be honest, everyone has guilty pleasures they're not proud of, but like an accident, sometimes it's hard to look away.
Last month, my girlfriend sent me the link to a blog called Suri's Burn Book- Suri, obviously being the celb spawn of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.
The blog is written through the eyes of Little Miss Cruise, as she provides snarky yet witty social commentary about pregnant celebrities, their children, fashion, pop culture and her own parents. At times it can be borderline bullying, but the 'fictional' Suri created by author Allie Hagen is more like Gossip Girl's Blair Waldorf than a 6 year old girl.
From the author:
"Every once in a while on my personal Twitter account I'd make little jokes about what Shiloh Jolie-Pitt was wearing or what Suri was up to, and a friend suggested I start a Tumblr account with that kind of humor about celebrity families. I knew that if I wrote it from my own perspective, it would come across as unnecessarily mean, possibly creepy. So I tried to think of a different angle."
The blog has been so successful in fact, that Hagen published a book under the same title last year.
This little slice of the blogasphere is not something I schedule into my day, but its perfect for those moments when you're sitting in front of a blank computer screen...or whenever you need a bit of a laugh.
